Ribbon feeding and controlling mechanism for type-writing machines.



No. 723,986. PATENTED MAR. 31. 1903.

J. A. SMITH. RIBBON FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1901.

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' J. A. SMITH.

RIBBON FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MAGHINES.

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.No. 723,936. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. J. A. SMITH.

RIBBON FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MEOHANISMTORTYPE WRITING MACHINES.

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No. 723,936. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903.

. J. A. SMITH. RIBBON FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1901.

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No. 723,936. 1 I PATENTED MARL31, 1903.- J. A. SMITH.

RIBBON FEEDING ANDCONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 21, 1901.

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UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE. I

JOHN A. SMITH, OF ATHENS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO FISHER BOOK TYPE- WVRITER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, vOI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

RIBBON FEEDING AND CONTROLLING ME CHANlSNlFOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECTFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 723,936, dated March 31, 1903.

Application filed June 21,1901. Serial No. 65,475. (No model.)

I To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the countyof McMinn and State of Tennessee, have invented a new anduseful Ribbon Feeding and Controlling Mechanism forType- Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in IO type-Writing machines, but more particularly to a ribbon-motion or ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient construction of ribbon supporting, feeding, releasing, and shifting mechanism which will insure the proper longitudinal feeding of theribbon when the car riage of the machine is advanced in the direction of letter-spacing by the depression of the space-key orto'ne of the letter-keys and not otherwise,themechanism being so organized and arranged as to release the ribbon and prevent the feed theieof'when the carriage-release mechanism is operated by the release-key, the locking-1ever of the tabula-' tor attachment, or by the depression of a special tabulator-stop, which latter is compre hended as a feature of the present invention.-

While the ribbon feeding and controlling o mechanism herein contemplated is applicable for use in connection with various typewriting machines, it is primarily designed for use inconnection with what is known commercially as the Fisher book type-writing machine, and in order that the invention may be better understood it may be well, by way of premise, to refer briefly to the work by others in this line, which has caused the production by me of the simple and efficient 40 construction to be described. In Patent No.

569,625, issued to Robert J. Fisher, is disclosed a booktype-writing machine comprehendinga fiat platen above which is disposed an independently-movable machine-frame supporting a traveling carriage designed to be shifted in the direction of letter-spacing. The inking-ribbon extends under the printing mechanism and has its opposite ends wound upon ribbon-spools, which are mov- 5o able with the carriage. The ribbon is com- 'issued to Robert J. Fisher.

parativelywide and is provided with means for shifting it laterally as the carriage advances in the direction of letter-spacing. This lateral feeding or shifting of the inkribbon is'accompli shed by the movement of the carriage relative to the frame, andat the end of each line of writing the ribbon is shift- 7 hon-supporting mechanism upon the machineframe instead of upon the carriage and comprehended the longitudinal feed of the ribbon instead of the lateral feed thereof as the carriage advanced in the direction of letterspacing. This arrangement made necessary the provision of means for causing the ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism to be advanced along the machine-frame in accurate coincidence with the carriage and was later displaced by the ribbon feeding and controli ling mechanism described in the concurrent application of Robert J. Fisher, Serial No.

65,465. This last construction was superior to those which had preceded it, because the en tire ribbon supporting, shifting, and feeding mechanism, with the exception of an operating-rack, was carried by and movablewith the traveling carriage Which'characterizes the Fisher machine and for the further reason 0 that the ribbon was fed longitudinally by the advance of the carriage in the direction of letter-spacing and was capable of being shifted by the operator to change the direction of the feed at any time, irrespective of the posi- 5 'tion of the carriage or of any element of'the ribbon mechanism. The construction disclosed in'the Fisher applicationaforesai'd contemplated, however, the feed of the ribbon by the movement of the carriage in the direc- I00 tion of letter-spacing, and as one or the other of the ribbon-spools was always in operative relation with the independently-mounted operating-rack carried by the machine-frame or carriage-support the ribbon was necessarily fed longitudinally whenever the carriage was moved or advanced in the direction of letterspacing, whether such advance was caused by the operation of the shiftkey, the lockinglever of the tabulator attachment, or 'by the depression of the space or letter keys.

My present invention is a logical advance in the art, since, like the last Fisher construction, it comprehends the mounting of the entire ribbon supporting and operating mechanism, with the exception of the operatingraclt, upon the traveling carriage, and also provides for the shifting of the direction of the ribbon-feed at any time and in any position of the carriage or of the ribbon-operating mechanism, and in addition to these characteristics includes means for releasing the ribbon to prevent the feeding thereof whenever the carriage is advanced in the direction of letter-spacing by the manipulation of any element other than the letter or space keys.

A further object of the invention is to equip the carriage with a tabnlator unit stop or catch supplemental to the tabulating attachment illustrated and described in Patent No. 666,762, issued to Charles F. Laganke, said tabulator-stop being operatively connected to both the carriage-release mechanism and the ribbon-release mechanism, so that upon the actuation of said tabulator-stop to present the same in a path obstructed by a space-pin or column'stop on the machine-frame both the carriage and ribbon will be released, whereby the carriage will be permitted to move freely in the direction of letter-spacing untilchecked by the space-pin and without causing the feed of the ribbon during such movement.

Various other objects of the invention subordinate to those en umerated will hereinafter more fully appear as the necessity for their accomplishment is developed in the succeeding description of that embodiment of the in-' vention illustrated in the accon'ipanying drawings and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In saiddrawings, Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, of aFisher type-writing machine equipped with the subject-matter of my invention and showing the relation of the carriage-release mechanism, the ribbon-release mechanism, the shift-key, the tabulator-actuating lever, and the tabulator stop or key. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the subject-matter of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view of the opposite end thereof. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the Laganke tabulating attachment and the adjacent portion of the carriage, showing the relation of said attachment to the subject-matter of my invention. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the connection between the tabulator-key and the carriage-release lever, and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the tabulator stop or. key detached.

The ribbon supporting and operating mechanism and the several aggroupments of elements cooperatively related thereto and constituting the subject-matter of the present invention are capable of use in connection with various kinds of type-writing machines wherein it would be desirable to provide for the shifting of the feed of the ribbon and the stopping of said feed when the carriage is operated by means other than the letter or space keys. In order, however, to facilitate the disclosure of the invention in that connection for which it is best adapted, I have illustrated it in the drawings as associated with a machine of that type now in extensive use and known commercially as the Fisher type-writingmachine. TheFisher machine is designed particularly for writing in books or upon letter-sheets, bills, cards, and other work elements supported in a flat spread-out condition upon a flat platen over which the printing mechanism is moved.

The machine illustrated involvesin its general organization a carriagesupporting frame 1, designed to travel upon the main tracks or guides 2 and provided with parallel front and rear carriageguides 3 and 45, upon which is mounted to travel in the direction of letterspacing the carriage 5, usually provided with a pendent type-bar-supporting rin The traveling machine-frame or the carriagesupporting frame 1, as it is variously called, is equipped with ordinary line-spacing mechanism 6. The carriage 5 is arranged to be drawn to the right or in the direction of letter'spacing by spring-actuated straps or tapes 7 and is provided with carriage-feeding pinions 8 and 9, which mesh, respectively, with the front and rear racks 1'0 and 11, arranged in parallelism with and secured to or formed upon the front and rear carriage-guides 3 and t of the machineframe. The carriage-feeding pinions 8 and 9 are mounted on a common transverselydisposed spindle or shaft 12, upon which is mounted at a point within the carriage-casing a ratchet or escapement wheel 13 in cooperative relation with a pair of escapement-dogs 14: and 15, operated in the manner set forth in the patent to R. J. Fisher, No. 573,868, and constituting the main carriage-feed or letter-spacing mechanism of the Fisher type-writing machine. with this carriage-feeding mechanism for regulating the step-by-step feed of the carriage in the direction of letter-spacing is combined a carriagerelease mechanism including a trip-lever 16, mounted within the carriage-casing and carrying at one end a trip-pin 17, working between the escapemen t-dogs 14 and 15 to provide for their engagement or release from the ratchet or escapement wheel for the purpose of permitting the carriage to move freely upon its guides in the manner described in the Fisher patent aforesaid.

Within the carriage 5, preferably adjacent one end thereof, is pivotally mounted at a point intermediate of its ends, as indicated at 19, a release-lever 18, constituting the primary element of the carriage-release mechanism and connected at one end with the triplever 16, the opposite end of said release-1ever being connected to the stem of the releasekey 20.

The described construction is not novel and constitutes no part of my present invention, except in so far as it enters into a novel combination, and thereby contributes to the ends sought to be attained. It will be evident that while the carriage-release mechanism is oper-.

ated to permit the step-by-step advance of the carriage in the direction of letter-spacing in a manner which it is not necessary to explain, at the same time the complete release of the carriage to permit the free movement thereof in either direction may be effected by the depression of the release-key, which through the medium of the levers 18 and 16 throws both of the escapement-dogs out of engagement with the escapement-wheel13 to permit such unrestricted movement.

Inasmuch as the Laganketabulatingattachment is one of several devices usually constituting parts of the Fisher type-writing machine which are operated to efiect the total release of the carriage and as one object of the present invention is to stop the ribbonfeed whenever the carriage is so released, I have deemed it desirable to illustrate such attachment in the accompanying drawings. The Laganke tabulating attachment (see Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 6) includes a straight scale-bar 21, secured to the front carriage-guide 3, provided wit-h the usual front space-scale 22 of the machine. attached to the front side of the carriage 5, moves over the scale 22 and indicates the position of the carriage in a manner well understood. The scale-bar 21 is provided with a longitudinal series of vertically-disposed pin-openings 24., corresponding to the scale graduations of the scale 22 and designed for the reception of space-pins 25, constituting column-stops and varying in number according to the number of columns to be imprinted upon the sheet. Each of the space-pins consists of a straight stem counterturned to produce an annular shoulder 26, which rests upon the scale-bar when the reduced portion of the pin is fitted in one of the pin-openings. These space-pins constitute stops or obstructions to the movement of the carriage under certain conditions and are for this reason located beyond the front side of the carriage,

so as to be removed from interfering relation therewith under ordinary circumstances The indicator or pointer 23,

latingattac'hment is mounted on the machineca'rriage, at the right-hand end thereof for convenient manipulation by the operator, and is sustained in place by a supportingplate 27, fitted to the end of the carriage-casingand retained by any suitable means. The plate 27 is formed with suitable guides 28 for the slidable reception of the variable-stop plunger. or denomination stop or catch 29, having the form of a flat rectangular plate, provided at its front end with a stepped se: ries of stopshoulders 30, which cooperate with the space-pins 25 in a specific manner, which does not concern the present invention and need not therefore be described. It need only be stated in this connection that the stopplunger 29 is arranged to be thrown intoa path obstructed by the space-pins through the medium of an operating-lever 31, provided with the auxiliary lock'lever 32, which when the operating-lever has'been moved to a given denominational position is operated to urge a sliding pin 33 in a longitudinal direction. The pin 33 is imposed against one arm of a bell-crank release-dog 34, pivotally supported at its angle within the carriage-case and disposed in operative relation with the release-lever 18, constituting, as stated, the pri= mary element of the carriage-release mechanism. Thus the Laganke attachment may be said to constitute variable-stop mechanism and to comprehend an operating element capable of effecting the complete release of the carriage, so that the latter may be moved freely from one column to another, the relative locations of these columns being determined by the positions of the space-pins or column-stops with which the stop-plunger or denomination-catch is designed to contact to arrest the movement of the carriage at predetermined points.

We have now seen that the carriage may be released by the actuation of either the release-key or the auxiliary lever of the variable-stop mechanism, and it may be stated that this entire organization of parts is illustrated and described in the patentto Lagan ke hereinbefore identified. 'In addition to these elements, however, the present invention contemplates the employment of a tabulatorunitstop or tabulator-key 34, designed to supplement the Laganke attachment and intended for use when the tabulating desired to be done is not of that kind which necessitatesthe beginning of the printing operation atvariable distances from apredetermined point.

The tabulator-key comprehends a swinging arm or plate 35, pivoted at its rear end upon one end wall of the carriage-case, as indicated at 36, and provided at its other end with a finger-piece or key proper, 37, below which is located a projecting stop element 38. The tabulator-key is designed to be normally urged to its elevated position by a spring 39,

mounted in any suitable manneras, for instance, as shownand is guided in its move:

ment by a headed stud 40, secured to the car-- riage-ease and passed through an arcuate slot 41 in the plate 35. This tabulator-key I shall refer to as a tabulator unit-stop mounted independently of the variable stop or stopplunger 29 of the Laganke attachment.

The variable-stop mechanism is designed to be utilized where numbers of different denominations are designed to be imprinted one under another to the left of a predetermined pointthat is to say, in printing numbers in tabulated form the decimal points of the several numbers are necessarily arranged one under the other in a direct line, and this line constitutes that predetermined point to the left of which the various numbers are imprinted. Thus if the number 1000 is to be imprinted the variable stop is operated to arrest the machine four type-spaces to the left of the space-pin or column-stop, which indicates the position of the decimal, and as this stop is variable it may also be utilized to arrest the carriage at a greater or less number of type-spaces from the decimal, so that the numbers may be properly tabulated irrespective of the number of individual numerals embraced thereby.

In certain other classes of tabulatingas, for instance, in imprinting a series of words one under the otherthere is no necessity for arresting the carriage at variable distances from a predetermined point, inasmuch as the first orinitial letters of the words are designed to be arranged one under the other and the words, regardless of the number of letters therein, are written to the right of this predetermined starting-point. In this latter character of tabulation, therefore, the employment of the variable ordenominational stop is not necessary, and a simple key-operated unit-stop, such as I have described, may therefore be utilized to advantage. The tabulatorkey is preferably arranged in a convenient position at the right-hand end of the keyboard and slightlyin front thereof, so that when said key is depressed by the operator the stop element or tabulator-cateh 38 will be presented in a path of movement obstructed by the spacepins. The operator engaged in word-tabulating simply presses the tabulator-key to present the stop 38 in its effective position and to simultaneously release the carriage, so that the latter may travel to the predetermined printing-point.

The mechanism employed to insure the release of the carriage upon the depression of the tabulator-key is shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and consists simply in providing the body portion of said key with a laterallyextending release-arm 42, passed through an opening in the end wall of the carriage-case and extended into operative proximity to the release-lever 18. (See also Figs. 1, 2, and 4.)

It may be noted at this point that While the depression of the tabulatol' key operates the carriage-release mechanism to release the carriage the depression of the release-key does not depress the tabulator-key, inasmuch as the release-arm 42 of the tabulator-key merely rests upon and is not connected to the releaselever 18, and the latter may therefore be depressed to release the carriage without moving the tabulator-key from its normal position. This relation of the parts is of some importanee, because the release-key is intended to be depressed for the purpose of permitting the carriage to be shifted freely any desired distance in either direction, and if the depression of the shift key effected the depression of the tabulator-key such free movement of the carriage would be rendered impossible by the contact of the unit-stop 38 with the space-pins or column-stops upon the spacc bar.

As will be seen from the foregoing, the invention includes, in one aspect thereof, a variable tabulator stop or catch and a tabulator unit stop or catch entirely independent of the variable stop, both of said stops being operatively related to the carriage-release mechanism independently of the release-key and in a manner to permit the depression of the release-key without affecting either of the stop devices.

Up to this point we have considered only the carriage, the carriage-release mechanism, and the several members which when operated to perform their several functions effect the release of the carriage from the escape ment mechanism ordinarily employed to control the letter-spacing movement of the carriage when the letter or space keys are operated.

As heretofore stated, an important feature ofthe presentinvention resides in the equipment of the machine with novel ribbon supporting, feeding, and release mechanism, and I shall now proceed to describe the organization of elements comprehended by such ribbon mechanism and so related to the carriagerelease mechanism that whenever the carriage is released by the operation of an element other than a letter or space key the ribbonfeed Will be automatically stopped until the carriage'is again arrested at the desired printing-point.

From the bottom of the carriage 5, at the opposite ends thereof, depend suitable spoolshaft hangers 43, rotatably supporting a pair of parallel spool-shafts 44 and 45, located slightly beyond the opposite ends of the carriage and carrying ribbon-spools 46 and 47 of any desired form. The ribbon-spools are mounted upon the spool-shafts in a manner to cause said spools to rotate with the shafts when the latter are rotated, and the inkingribbon 48, having its opposite ends wound upon the spools, is provided with a suitable ribbon-guiding frame 49, which leads said ribbon to a point immediately above the writing-surface for presentation to the type in the usual manner.

It is usual to provide means for feeding the ribhonfor the purpose of preventing the type from striking continuously thereon at the same point, and the present invention contemplates the longitudinal feed of the ribbon from spool to spool by the rotation of the spool-shafts; In the construction shown. in the Fisher application aforesaid-to \vit, No. 65,465-the rotation of the spool-shafts is effected by means of spool-pinions mounted loosely on the spool-shafts and geared directly to the operating-rack mounted on the machine-frame independently of the carriage. These pinions are connected to the shafts a1- ternately in a manner to cause one of the spools to be positively fed during the movement of the carriage in the direction of letter-spacing, the arrangement of the mechanism being such that during the return movement of the carriage both spool-pinions would run idly on the shafts. In that construction the ribbon was of necessity fed in one direction or the other whenever the carriage was advanced, and as the spool-pinions were directly geared to the rack their rapid rotation during the return movement of the carriage tended by reason of the frictional engagement of the pinions with their shafts to rotate one or the other of said shafts, and thereby cause the slackening of the ribbon. The present invention, on the contrary, contemplates the stopping of the feed of the ribbon when the carriage is released from the escapement mechanism and the spool-pinions are not geared directly to the operatingrack, but are geared thereto through suitable elements of the ribbon-shifting mechanism to be described, so that the disengaged pinion is not positively rotated during either the advance or return movements of the carriage, and therefore eliminates any tendency to slacken the ribbon in the manner described.

The spool-pinions 50 and 5] are loosely mounted on the shafts 44 and 45, adjacent to the rear ends thereof, and are interposed between ratchet-Wheels 52 and 53 and knurled check-wheels 5t and 55, fixed upon the spoolshafts. An operative engagement between thespool-pinions andtheirshaftsisefiected by means of pawls 56 and 57, pivoted upon the pinions, as illustrated in Fig. 5,and urged into engagement with the ratchet-wheels 52 and 53 by suitable springs 58. The opposite ends of the ribbon 48 are wound upon the spools 4:6 and 47in the same direction as is usual in the art, and it therefore follows that if either of the spool-pinions 50 or 51 is positively rotated in the'direction of the arrows on said pinions in Fig. 5 the ribbon will be wound upon the spool connected with said pinion, and the spool at the opposite end of the carriage will be rotated idly to pay out the ribbon as it is drawn forward. The

means for etfecting this positive rotation of the spool-pinions and for shifting the direction of the ribbon-feed by causing the positive rotation of either pinion at the Will of the operator includes a stationary operatingrack 59, mounted independently of the carriage-as, for instance, upon the inner side 'of the rear carriage-guide 4 of the traveling machine-frame. (See particularly Figs. 2 and 5.) Constantly meshing with this rack are a pair of shift-piuions 60 and 61, of such considerable width as will enable either of them to mesh with both a spool-pinion and the rack, it being observed that the spoolpinions are not in engagementwith the rack, but are, on the contrary, located in front thereof. The shift-pinions are carried by upstanding arms 62 at the opposite ends of a shift-bar 63, suitably supported by a shiftbar bracket 64, mounted on the rear hangerrods 65, which depend from the carriage 5 and support the type-ring.

The interval between the shift-pinions 60 and 61 is such that while both are constantly in engagement with the operating-rack 59 only one of them can mesh with a spool-pinion at any time. Therefore by shifting the shift-bar 63-as, for instance, through the medium of the shift-bar lever 66, fulcrumed upon the carriage and pivotally connected to the bar, (see Fig. 5)-'one shift-pinion is caused to mesh wit-h one spool-pinion, while the other shift-pinion is simultaneously withdrawn from engagementwith the spool'pinion at the opposite end of the carriage.

As we have seen that the pawls 56 and 57 are normally in engagement with the ratchetwlieels fast upon the spool-shafts, it follows that when one of the shift-pinions is enmeshed with both the operating-rack and a spoolpinion said spool-pinion will be rotated in a direction to wind the ribbon upon the contiguous spool when the carriage is advanced in the direction of letter-spacing, and hence when the carriage is fed forward step by step by the operation of the letter or space keys the ribbon will be fed to present an unused portion thereof to each succeeding type as the latter is presented to the printing-point. During such feed of the ribbon the spool at the opposite end of .the carriage will be rotated by the tension upon the ribbon. If now the carriage is rapidly retracted in the usual manner to begin a new line of writing, the direction of rotation of the engaged pinion will be reversedand the pawl thereof will click idly over the ratchet-teeth without operating the ribbon-spool,while the disengaged pinion will remain entirely stationary, as it is not operatively related to the rack and can therefore exert no tendency to rotate its spool-shaft, and thereby slacken the ribbon. In order, however, to prevent the backward rotation of the engaged pinion during thereturn movementof the carriage from rotating the adjacent spool-shaft by reason of the frictional engagementl between said shaft and pinion, the shift-bar is provided at the ends wMil prehends the mechanism for supporting and feeding the ribbon and for shifting the feed thereof, and I shall now proceed to describe the ribbon-release mechanism by means of which the feed of the ribbon is stopped whenever the carriage is released from its escapement mechanism to permit it to be freely shifted alon; its guides.

Inasmuch as the rotation of the ribbonspools through the medium of the spool-pinions is dependent upon the engagement of the pawls 5t; and 57 with the ratchetwvheels 52 and 53, mounted upon the spoolshafts, a convenient form of mechanism for effecting the disengagement of the pinions from the shafts comprehends means for moving the pawls out of engagement with the ratchets whenever it is desired to prevent the feed of the ribbon. Such means is preferably embodied in a pair of beveled releasing-disks 09 and 70, slidably mounted upon the spoolshafts and provided with annularly-grooved hubs 71. These beveled disks are designed to be moved toward the, adjacent faces of the ratchet-wheels for the purpose of engaging the lugs Tl and 72, extending laterally from the pawls. The annular beveled faces of the disks are designed to contact with the lugs of the pawls irrespective of the location of said pawls at any point of their circular travel, and as the disks are advanced for engagement with said lugs the pawls are moved back from engagement with the ratchetwheels, and the release of the pinions from the shafts is thereby effected.

Various forms of mechanism may be employed for shifting the releasing-disks 69 and 70, but the preferred embodiment of such means is illustrated in the drawings (see particularly Figs. 2 and 5) and com prisesa rockshaft 73, disposed longitudinally of the carriage,adjacent to the rear side thereof,and su pported in suitable bearings 7at,depending from the bottom of the carriage-casing. From the opposite ends of this rock-shaft depend the arms 75 and 76, having spanner ends 77, engaging thc grooved hubs of the beveled releasing-disks. urged in a direction to move the disks away from the pawls by a spring 78, encircling the shaft and secured at one end to a fixed part of the carriage and at its opposite end to a set collar 79 on the shaft. Normally, therefore, the pawls' are engaged with the ratchets to efiect the positive rotation of one or the other of the spools, accordingly as one or the other of the spool-pinions is in mesh with the adjacent shift-pinion.

It will be remembered that the release-key, tabulator unit-stop, and the variable tabulator-stop mechanism are each operatively related to the release-lever 18 for the purpose ofactuating the latter to release the carriage from its escapement mechanism, and it therefore follows that by operatively connecting the releasing-lever with the ribbon-releasing disks I am enabled to insure the release of The rock-shaft is normally the ribbon mechanism and the consequentstopping of the ribbon-feed whenever the carriage is released to permit its free movement upon the machineframe. To accomplish this result, I provide the rock-shaft 73 with an upstanding arm 79, extending through the bottom of the carriage-casing (see Figs. 2 and 5) and having its upper end laterally deflected or curved,as indicated at 80, and disposed over and in operative relation with a small roller 81, mounted upon a lateral projection 82, extending from the release-lever l8, adjacent to the rear end thereof. Thus whenever the front end of the release-lever is depressed by means of the variable stop device or the unit tabulator-stop or by the releasekey the carriage will be released in the manner heretofore described and the ribbon-release mechanism will be operated through the swinging of the arm 79 to disengage the pawls from their ratchet-wheels, and thereby stop the feed of the ribbon by the disconnection of both ribbon-shafts from their operating mechanism. Thus it will appear that the entire ribbon supporting and operating mechanism is mounted upon the traveling carriage with the exception of the operatingrack carried by the machine-frame, that the ribbon will be fed longitudinally whenever the carriage is moved in the direction of letter-spacing by the operation of either the letteror space keys, that the direction of feed of the ribbon may be instantly changed at any time by the operator, and that the ribboo-feed will be entirely stopped during the movement of the carriage, except such movement thereof as is necessary to the actual printing operation. It will also appear that the variable or denominational stop constitutes means for arresting the carriage in proper position to print a series of charactersas,forinstance, numerals terminating at a given point indicated by a column-stop and that the tabulator unit-stop constitutes means for arresting the carriage in proper position to print a series of charactersas, for instance, letters-beginning at a predetermined point indicated by a column-stop, the

employment of these independent stop de vices of different characters serving to facilitate the tabulation of numbers or words, as the case may be.

It is thought that from the foregoing description the construction, operation, and many advantages of the invention will be clearly understood;but while the illustrated embodiment of said invention is thought at this time to be preferable I desire to be understood as reserving to myself the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structure as may be properly comprehended within the scope of the protection prayed.

Vhat I claim is- 1. In a type-Writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, and ribbonfeeding mechanism, of a catch device includ' inga movable member, and means operatively related to said member for stopping the feed of the ribbon.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, and ribbonfeeding mechanism, of a movable catchdevice, and means for automatically stopping the feed of the ribbon when said catch device is moved to its operative position.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, and ribbonfeeding mechanism, of a variable catch device for arresting the carriage in ditferent denominational positions, said catch device includingamovable member, and means operatively related to said member for stopping the feed of the ribbon.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, and ribbonfeeding mechanism, of a variable catch device for arresting the carriage in difierent denominational positions, means for locking the variable catch device in its effective position,

and means operatively related to said locking means for stopping the feed of the ribbon.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, and ribbonfeeding mechanism, of a plurality of independently-movable catch devices, and means operatively related to said catch devices for stopping the feed of the ribbon.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, and ribbonfeeding mechanism, of a variable catch device for arresting the carriage in different denominational positions, an independent unit catch device for arresting the carriage at a given point, and ribbon-release mechanism disposed for independent actuation by either of said catch devices.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a frame, a carriage, and ribbon-feeding mechanism, of a release-key, a catch device for arresting the carriage, and means for automatically stopping the feed of the ribbon when either the release-key or catch device is operated.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combina-.

tion with the frame, a carriage, ribbon-feeding mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism, of a catch device comprising fixed and movable stop elements, and means for operating the ribbon-release mechanism when the movable stop element is moved to its effective position.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, ribbon-feeding mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism, of a catch device comprising fixed and movable stop elements mounted on the frame and carriage respectively, and means for operating the ribbon-release mechanism to stop the feed of the ribbon when the movable catch element is moved to its effective position.

10. Inatype-writingmachine,thecombination with a frame, a carriage, and ribbon-feed-' ing mechanism, of a'catch including a movable member, and means operatively related to said member to release the carriage and to stop the feed of the ribbon.

11. In a type-writing machine,the combination with a frame, a carriage, ribbon-feeding mechanism,and ribbon-release mechanism, of a catch including a movable member, means operativel y related to said member to release the carriage and to stop the feedof the ribbon, and a release-key arranged to operate the carriage-release mechanism and to stop the feed of the ribbon independently of the catch.

12. Inatype-writingmachine,thecombination with a frame, a carriage, and ri bbon-feed-- ing mechanism, of a variable catch for arresting the carriage in different denominational positions, said catch including a movable member,and means operatively related to said member to release the carriage and to stop the feed of the ribbon.

13. In a type-writing machine,the combina tion with the frame, a carriage, carriage-release mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism, of a plurality of independent catches for arresting the carriage, each of said catches having independent operative connection with both the carriage-release mechanism and the ribbon-release mechanism.

.14. In a type-writing machine,the c0mbina-.

a plurality of separate, independent catches for arresting the movement of the carriage, said catches having independent operative relation with the carriage-release mechanism and ribbon-release mechanism, respectively, and a release-key disposed to operate the carriage-release mechanism and ribbon-release mechanism without moving either of said catches to its operative position.

16. Inatype-writing machine,thecombination with aframe, a carriage, and carriage-release mechanism including a release-lever, of ribbonfeeding mechanism, ribbon release mechanism operatively related to said releaselever, and a movable catch disposed to operate the release-lever and to arrest the movement of the carriage. r

17. In at'ype-writing machine,the combination of a frame, a movable carriage, carriagerelease mechanism includinga release-lever, ribbon -feeding mechanism, ribbon-release mechanism connected to said lever, and avariable catch for arresting the carriage'in different denominational positions,said variable catch including a movable member for actuatin g the release-lever.

18. In atype-writingmachine,thecombination with a frame, a carriage, carriage-release mechanism includinga release-lever, ribbonfeeding mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism connected to said release-lever, of a plurality of independent catches movable with the carriage, said catches having independent operative connection with the release-lever.

19. In a type-Writing machine,the combination with a traveling carriage, and a rack mounted independently thereof, of ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism movable with the carriage and operatively related to the rack to effect the longitudinal feed of the ribbon as the carriage is moved in the direction of letter-spacing, and ribbon release mechanism for stopping the feed of the ribbon during the free advance movement of the carriage.

20. Inatype-writing machine,the combination with a traveling carriage, and a rack mounted independently thereof, of ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism movable with the carriage and operatively related to the rack to cause the longitudinal feed of the ribbon as the carriage is advanced in the direction of letter-spacing during the printing operation, carriage-release mechanism for permitting the free advance movement of the carriage, and ribbon-release mechanism arranged to stop the feed of the ribbon when the carriage-release mechanism is operated to release the carriage.

21. Inatype-writingmachine,the combination with a traveling carriage, carriage-release mechanism, ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism, movable with the carriage, and shifting mechanism for shifting the direction of feed of the ribbon, ofribbon-release mechanism for stopping the feed of the ribbon during the free advance movement of the carriage.

22. In a type-writing machine,the combination with a traveling carriage, carriage-release mechanism, ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism for stopping the feed of the ribbon during the free advance movement of the carriage, of shifting mechanism movable with the carriage and arranged for operation to change the direction of feed of the ribbon.

23. In a type-writing machine,the combination with a traveling carriage, of carriage-release mechanism, ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism, ribbon-release mechanism movable with the carriage and operatively related to the carriage release mechanism, and shifting mechanism for changing the direction of feed of the ribbon.

24. Inatype-writingmachine, the combination with a traveling carriage, ribbon-feeding mechanism for effecting the longitudinal feed of the ribbon as the carriage is advanced during the printing operation, carriage-release mechanism for releasing the carriage to permit the free movement thereofin the direction of letter-spacing, ribbonrelease mechanism arranged to automatically stop the feed of the ribbon when the carriage-release mechanism is operated,and shiftingmechanism forchanging the direction of feed of the ribbon.

25. In atype-writing machine,the combination with a traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of ribbon-spools supported by and movable with the carriage, shifting mechanism for operatively connecting either of said spools with the operating-rack, and ribbon-release mechanism for effecting the disconnection of both of said spools from the rack to prevent the feed of the ribbon.

26. In atype-writingmachine,the combination with a traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of ribbon-spools movable with the carriage,shifting mechanism for effecting the operative connection of either of said spools with the rack, carriage-release mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism operatively related to the carriage-release mechanism to stop the feed of the ribbon when the carriage is released.

27. In a type-writing machine,thecombination with a traveling carriage,carriage-release mechanism, ribbon-spools and spoolshafts, of spool-pinions, means for operating one of said pinions to effect the feed of the ribbon, and ribbon-release mechanism for automaticallydisconnecting said pinion from its shaft when the carriage is released. i

28. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the traveling carriage,ribbon-spools, and spool-shafts, of spool-pinions mounted on the shafts to rotate said shafts during the movement of the carriage in the direction of letter-spacing, means for effecting the positive operation of one of said pinions during the advance movement of the carriage, and ribbon-release mechanism for simultaneously disconnecting both of the spool-pinions from their shafts.

29. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of ribbon-spools movable with the carriage,shifting mechanism for operatively connecting either of said spools with the operating-rack to effect the feeding of the ribbon by the advance of the carriage during the printingoperation, and ribbon-release mechanism for simultaneously disconnecting both of said ribbon spools from the ribbon feeding mechanism.

80. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the traveling carriage, an operating rack mounted independently thereof, and ribbon-spools movable with the carriage, of shifting mechanism for operatively connecting either of said spools with the operating-rack to elfect the longitudinal feed of the ribbon in one direction or the other, by the advance movement of the carriage during the printing operation, carriage-release mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism connected to the carriage-release mechanism and arranged to efie'ct the simultaneous disconnection of both ribbon-spools from the ribbon-feeding mechanism.

31. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the traveling carriage, an operatingrack mounted independently thereof, spoolshafts movable with the carriage, and a ribbon-spool and aspool-pinion mounted on each shaft, of shifting mechanism comprising shiftpinions disposed to gear said spool-pinions alternately to the operating-rack to effect the longitudinal feed of the ribbon in one direction or the other.

32. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of spool-shafts movable with the carriage, a ribbon-spool and a spool-pinion mounted on each shaft, both of said pinions being out of engagement with the operating-rack, a shiftbar, and shift-pinions carried by said bar and constantly meshing with the operating-rack, and means for shifting the shift-bar to cause one or the other of the shift-pinions to mesh with a spool-pinion. I

33. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of spool-shafts movable with the carriage, a ribhon-spool and a spool-pinion mounted on each shaft,-both of said spool-pinions being out of engagement with the operating-rack and provided with means for operatively connecting the shafts with the pinions when the latter are rotated in one direction, a shift-bar, shiftpinions carried by the shift-bar and meshing with the operatingrack, means for shifting said bar to present said pinions to the spoolpinions alternately, and ribbon-release mechanism for simultaneously disconnecting both of the spool-pinions from the spool-shafts.

34. In a type-writin g machine, the combination with the traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of spool-shafts movable with the carriage, ribbon-spools and spool-pinions mounted on said shafts, both of said pinions being out of engagement with the rack, pawl-and-ratchet devices for connecting the spool-pinions with the spool-shafts when the said pinions are rotated by the advance movement of the carriage, shifting mechanism comprising a shiftbar, and shift-pinions carried by the bar, said pinions being in constant engagement with the operating-rack, means for shifting the bar to present one of said shift-pinions to a spoolpinion, and a restraining or holdback dog arranged for presentation to the positively-operated spool-shaft through the movement of the shift-bar.

35. In a type-Writing machine, the combination with the traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of spool-shafts movable with the carriage, ribbon-spools and spool-pinions mounted on said shafts, a pawl-and-ratchet device for connectmg each pinion with its shaft, both of said pinions being disconnected from the operat-- tion with the traveling carriage, of spoolshafts movable therewith, a ribbon-spool and a spool-pinion mounted on each shaft, said pinions being operatively connected to the shafts when rotated in one direction, means for rotating said pinions alternately by the advance movement of the carriage during the printing operation, and ribbon-release mechanism for simultaneously disconnecting both of the spool-pinions from the spool-shafts.

37. Inatype-writing1nachine,thecombination with the traveling carriage, of spoolshafts, a ribbon-spool, a spool-pinion and a ratchet-wheel mounted on each shaft, a pawl carried by each pinion to engage the adjacent ratchet-wheel, means for rotating either of said pinions to effect the feed of the ribbon in one direction or the other, and ribbon-release mechanism for simultaneously moving both of said pawls out of operative relation with the ratchet-wheels on the shafts.

'38. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the traveling carriage, of spoolshafts, a ribbon-spool, a spool-pinion and a ratchet-wheel mounted on each shaft, a pawl carried by each pinion for engagement with the adjacent ratchet-wheel, a beveled disk slidably mounted on each spool-shaft to move the pawls out of engagement with the ratchetwheels, and thereby disconnect the spool-pinions from the spool-shafts, and means for shifting said beveled disks simultaneously in the same direction.

39. In a type-writing mac'hine, the combina-.

tion with the traveling carriage, of spoolshafts, a ribbon-spool, a spool-pinion, and a ratchet-wheel mounted on each shaft, a pawl carried by each pinion for engagement with the adjacent ratchet-wheel, means for rotating either of said spool-pinions to effect the feed of the ribbon in onedirection or the other, a beveled disk slidably mounted on each spool-shaft to lift the pawls out of operative relation with their ratchets, a rock-shaft provided with arms engaging said beveled disks, to urge them simultaneously in the same direction, and means for rocking said rockshaft.

40. In a type-writing machine,the combination with the frame,and the traveling carriage, of carriage-release mechanism, ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism arranged to effect the feed of the ribbon during the printing movement of the carriage, ribbon-release too mechanism comprehending a rock-shaft having connection with releasing devices at its opposite ends,and an operative connection between the carriage-release mechanism and the rock-shaft.

41. In atype-writingmachine,thecombination with the traveling carriage, of carriagerelease mechanism including a release-lever, ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism for effecting the feed of the ribbon during the printing movement of the carriage, ribbonrelease mechanism inclndinga rock-shaft havin connection at its opposite ends with releasing devices, and an arm extending from said rock-shaft and operatively' related to the release-lever, whereby the actuation of said lever to release the carriage will move the rock-shaft to actuate the ribbon-release mechanism and thereby stop the feed of the ribbon.

42. Inatype-Writingmachiue,thecombination with the traveling carriage, of spoolshafts, a ribbon-spool, and a spool-pinion mounted on each shaft, means for etfecting an operative engagement between each pinion and its shaft when rotated in one direction, a releasing member slidably mounted on each shaft and designed to effect the disconnection of the adjacentshaft and pinion, a rock-shaft connected to both of said releasing members and provided with an arm, and carriage-release mechanism operatively related to said arm, whereby when the carriage is released the rock-shaft will be moved to simultaneously urge the releasing members in the same direction.

43. Inatype-writingmachine,thecombina tion with the traveling carriage, of spoolshafts, a ribbon-spool, a spool-pinion and a ratchet-Wheel mounted on each shaft, a pawl carried by each pinion for engagement with the adjacent ratchetwheel, means for rotating either of said pinions to effect the feed of the ribbon in one direction or the other, a beveled disk slidably mounted on each spoolshaft to lift the pawls out of operative relation with their ratchets, a rock-shaft provided with arms engaging said beveled disks, to urge them simultaneously in the same direction, an arm extending front said rock-shaft, and carriage-release mechanism including a release-lever disposed in operative relation to said last-named arm, whereby the movement of the release-lever to release the carriage will efiect the simultaneous shifting of the beveled disks in the same direction.

44-. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the frame, a carriage, carriage-release mechanism, and ribbon-release mechanism, of a plurality of independent catches for arresting the carriage, each of said catches having operative connection with both the carriage-release mechanism and the ribbonrelease mechanism.

45. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the traveling carriage and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof,

of spool-shafts movable with the carriage, ribbon-spools, and spool-pinions mounted on said shafts, both of said pinions being out of engagement with the rack, pawl-and-ratchet devices for connecting the spool-pinions with the spool-shafts when the said pinions are rotated by the advance movement of the carriage, shifting mechanism comprising a shiftbar, and shift-pinions carried by the bar, said pinions being in constant engagement with the operating-rack, and means for shifting the bar to present one of said shift-pinions to a spool-pinion.

46. In a type-writing machine, the com bination with the traveling carriage, and an operating-rack mounted independently thereof, of spool-shafts movable with the carriage, ribbon-spools and spool-pinions mounted on said shafts, a pawl-and-ratchet device for connecting each pinion with its shaft, both of said pinions being disconnected from the operating-rack, and shifting mechanism including shift-pinions constantly engaging the operating-rack and arranged for presentation to the spool-pinions alternately.

47. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a travelingcarriage, of ribbon-feeding mechanism mounted on the carriage and designed to effect the longitudinal feed of the ribbon as the carriage is advanced during the printing operation, carriage-release mechanism for releasing the carriage to permit the free movement thereof in the direction of 1etter-spacing, and ribbon-release mechanism arranged to automatically stop the feed of the ribbon when the carriage-release mechanism is operated.

45. In atype-writing machine, the combination with a traveling carriage, of ribbon supporting and feeding mechanism mounted on the carriage and designed to effect the longitudinal feed of the ribbon as the carriage is advanced during the printing operation, carriage-release mechanism for releasing the carriage to permit the free advance movement thereof in the direction of letter-spacing, and

ribbon-release mechanism mounted on the t JOHN A. SMITH.

VVitnessesr R. J. FISHER, R. R. WARNER. 

